Leaving with my laptop

Trying to combine traveling and studies at Campus Helsingborg is not always easy. Follow Lundagård’s international columnist Melica Flygelholm this fall as she prepares to tackle more than just language barriers and heavy backpacks whilst being on the road.

A fair amount of people that I’ve met on my trip so far have been very confused about my travel itinerary. Saying that I’m currently enrolled at four universities (or five if you count Lund) to my new found hostel friends raises a few questions, the most common one being: How does that even work? The logistics of it are pretty straightforward. I simply need to read thirty credits this semester that are related to my communications degree in order to pass. Most of my classmates have chosen to take these credits abroad at foreign universities but since I’ve chosen to do everything online, I’m able to pursue my studies anywhere.

Whilst I’m doing my online courses, I plan to visit as many of my friends that are on exchange as possible. Besides seeing them again and experiencing the variety of scenery, culture and cuisine that comes along with travelling to new places, I want to compare life as a student in Sweden with other undergraduates from across the world. Do they also procrastinate and hand in all assignments last minute? Is partying on a Thursday a thing over there too? And what is their equivalent to “Stad i ljus”?

Studying whilst being abroad is not an entirely new concept to me. Unbeknownst to many of my professors at Lund University, there’s been quite a few home exams and assignments that I have submitted from other countries. One home exam was written entirely in Marrakech, my latest thesis paper was submitted from Sydney and the most recent assignment was sent from Heathrow Airport as I was boarding a plane to Singapore.

Gaining an understanding of various cultures, religions and languages through travel has taught me so much, not only about myself and the world I live in but also how people from all corners of the globe interact with one another and communicate. I have found that the communication skills that I have gained through travel have enabled me to connect and interact with people from all walks of life in a way that textbooks and hours in lecture halls never will.

Although keeping track of dates and deadlines, in addition to accounting for the time difference while being away is tricky, I am determined to not let my travels jeopardise my grades. As I stated earlier, the logistics are simple; let’s hope it’s just as easy in practice.